The Tim Couch Era Begins Anew

Typically Cleveland waits until draft day to ruin its season. This year, though, we are looking to get ahead of ourselves. After superstar players such as Tim Couch and Courtney Brown, the Browns' draft is typically a "how to misread talent" manual for others in the league.

I'll be up front and say that I want Adrian Peterson of Oklahoma. I will also say that I really do not want Brady Quinn. And yet the Browns are doing their best to take the latter path.

Cleveland rushed out to sign Jamal Lewis, former running back of the former Cleveland Browns. He's been over 1,000 yards five of the last six seasons, which looks all well and good except that he's declining rapidly. His yards per carry are down 1.7 per rush in the last two seasons, and it's not as if NFL running backs get faster and better as they get older. His 3.6 yards per carry average last season can't possibly improve in Cleveland. The Browns' offensive line is far worse than anything he's ever had before, including the prison leagues.

Sure it'll be an upgrade from Reuben Droughns, the incumbent starter, but Dwight Schrute would also be an upgrade from Droughns.

So with the running back issue "solved," I don't see Cleveland taking Peterson. We'll end up taking Brady Quinn because Romeo Crennel has connections with Charlie Weis and all that. Just depressing, really.

I sure hope that five years from now I can bookmark this page and say, "Wow, was I wrong about Quinn and Peterson!" However, looking back on Gerard Warren and William Green, I think I have ample reason to know that there's little chance of that happening.